Improvement in lighting devices



C. WESTPHAL. Lighting Device.

N0. 221,758. Patented Nov. 18, 1879.

l e l d/x v, u. a

NJETERS. PHDYULITHOGIAPHEI. WASHINGTON. D G

UNITEE STATES PATENT CHRISTIAN WIESTPHAL, OF FRANK["ORT-ON-THE-MAIN, GERMANY.

IMPROVEMENT IN LIGHTING D EVICES.

Spciication forming part of Letters Patent No. 221,758, dated November 18, 1879; application ilcd July 16, 1879.

To all 'Lv-ham it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, CHRISTIAN WEsrPHAL, of Frankfort-on-the-Main, in the Empire of Germany, have invented a new and Improved Self-Acting Apparatus for Lighting Gas, of which the following is a specitication.

The invention consists in the manner of lighting any number of gas -burners by means of the pressure of the gas, acting upon two diaphragms of different surfaces, inclosed in two separated chambers, by the action of which the gas is admitted or excluded from the burner.

In the accompanying drawing, which shows a vertical section of the apparatus, A represents the usual burner attached to a suitable casting, B, in the lower part of which two chambers, D and H, are formed, and attached at its central end, J, to the usual gaspipe.

Through the lower chamber, H, a pipe, C, passes, having at its lower end a valve, a, attached, fitting into a suitable scat in the bottom plate, g, and closing the cavity J. This pipe C is titted (capable of moving) tight in the partition o, between the chambers H and D. Above this pipe O a pipe, C', extends through the partition w into the upper part of thc casting B. l

The pipe C is connected to the pipe C by means of a pi n, G2, attached to projections, and a nut, b4, attached to the bottom of the pipe C', and passing through an opening, y, in the upper end of the pipe C, a little larger than said pin G2.

In the chambers H and D diaphragms a and b are arranged, secured at their outer circumferences between metal plates a a2 and b b2 rcspectively. The central part o'f the diaphragm a is attached to the pipe C by means of the nuts as and a4, and the central part of the diaphragm b is attached to the pipe C by means of the nuts b3 and b4.

By the arrangement ot' these diaphragms a and b the chambers H and D are divided in two parts. In the top of these chambers holes w x are made to allow the admission of air lnto the same above the diaphragme.

In the casting B a partition, t', is made, with a central opening, in which the valve 7c is arranged, capable ot' closing said opening. The va1vestem of this valve k has a suitable guide at top, and is guided at its lower end in the top end of the pipe C. The lower part of this valve-stein is provided with a nut or projecting collar, L. By this valve k a third chamber or cavity, d, is formed, which is connected through a passage, e, with a small tube, j', arranged on the side of the burner A and reaching nearly to the. top of the same. The size ofthe passage e, and consequently the amount of gas which shall pass through the same into the tube f, is regulated by a screw, e.

The al'lparatus, as shown in the drawing, represents the position ot' all parts during daytime when the pressure of the gas in the house is reduced to its minimum. This low pressure of gas passes then through the pipes C and C into the chamber d through the passa-ge cinto the tnbef, where, when the apparatus is first started, the gas is ignited, burning as a very small flame., which is protected against the intluences ot' the air by suitable caps E F.

By means ot' the valve k resting in its scat in the partition i the gas is prevented from entering the burner A.

Through the opening y the gas can contn uall y pass under the diaphragm b, but the reduced pressure ot' the gas during daytime cannot move this diaphragm, with all its connecting parts, on account of the small arca or surface exposed. As soon as the gas-pressure is increased in the evening the saine forces the diaphragm b upward, moving thereby the pipe C to bring the valve a4 from its seat, and allow thereby the gas-pressure to act likewise against the 4under surface of the diaphragm a. At the same time the cud ofthe pipe C has come against the collar Z on the stem ot the valve la, and has moved this valve 7c clear of its seat to allow the gas to pass into the burner A, which will then be ignited by the naturallyincreased name at the end of the tube j'. The pipe C will be moved upward till the end comes in contact with the top of the cavity d, whereby the passage ot' gas into the passage e and tube j' will be closed and the llame at the end ot' this tube will extinguish.

By the upward moving ofthe diaphragm a we obtain the pressure of the gas to act against the combined surfaces or area of the diaphra-gms b and a for the purpose ot' holding up the. same, and all parts connected and iniiuenced thereby, and this increased surface will hold the parts all in their proper position, even after the pressure of the gas is again reduced to what is called the night-pressure.

Any required surface of the diaphragms which may be necessary, on account of the diiferent heightor position ironi the gas-house of the lamp or burner, can easily be regulated by the inner diameters ofthe binding-rings a a and b' b2, so that all, irreslwetive of their height or position, will act simultaneously.

When the pressure of the gas is reduced in the morning below the minimum ofthe nightpressure, the diaphragms will begin to fall, opening first a free passage oi' gus through the pussugecintothesniall tubefwhen thethen eseapinggas at the top of this tuhef will be ignited from the thune of the still burning gas at the end ofthe burner A, and then the further dropping;r of the dinphrag'ms will allow the valve k to fall into its seat and prevent any further flow ol' gus into the burner A, when the same will be extinguished. The diaphragme a and b, with their respective tubes or pipes C' and C, will then fall until the valve a* closes the outlet of the gas below the diaphragm a, and the several parts will remain then in the position represented in the drawing during,r the day, or until the pressure of the gas is again increased whenever required.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The pipe C, attached to a diaphragm, a., and provided with a valve, a", at its lower end, and an opening, y, near its upper end, connected to a pipe, C', attached to a diaphragm, b, and the valve k, arranged in a suitable casing provided with a burner, A, passage c, and small tube f, the whole being combined and arranged to operate, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein described and setforth.

CHRISTIAN WESTPHAL. Witnesses Loms BAssE, ALBRECHT KoHN. 

